AWAF is thrilled to kick off our new rolling application process!

AWAF has earmarked $30,000 for this year’s awards, including one (1) $5,000 and one (1) $2,500 Mid-Career Fellowship Award .

AWAF’s mid-career Fellowship program was initiated in 2016 with funding from a Southern California Development Forum (SCDF) grant. Topics explored with Fellowship funds have included research, design explorations on under-utilized property 3D printing and mental health, exhibition development and a podcast exploring women in design.

We hope you will consider applying for this amazing professional development opportunity, or share this opportunity with women in the architecture or related design field who may benefit from independent research, study, writing or other self-guided projects. 

FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION IS NOW A YEAR-ROUND ROLLING APPLICATION, THE DEADLINE WILL OCCUR ON MARCH 1ST EACH YEAR.

ELIGIBILITY AND SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Mid-career FEllowship

In 2014, AWAF won a prestigious Southern California Development Forum Charity Award that initiated our Professional Development Fellowship. Targeting professional women in architecture and allied arts, recipients were required to use the funds to produce a work of professional consequence in their field. We have continued with these guidelines after these funds were expired. Examples have included analytical or physical research, publications, lecture or presentation information related to their work, and organizing a public panel discussion of a current subject of public interest. Candidates may also suggest alternate deliverables. The result of the work must be completed within one year and presented as part of the AWA+D Annual Symposium.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications to be eligible (see application for details):

  • Must be a California resident

  • Must have been practicing in the field of architecture or the allied arts for a minimum of 5 years

Applications are available annually at the beginning of the year year-round and must be completed and received by the spring deadline to be considered for the annual award. Awards received after the deadline will be considered for the subsequent year’s award. For example: Applications submitted in June 2024 would be considered for award in Spring 2025.

For questions, please contact Isa Mattia and Natasha Harkison (Awards Committee Co-Chairs) at awards@awa-foundation.org

Sponsoring an AWAF Fellowship reflects a commitment to supporting and encouraging women students as they strive to achieve their educational goals and enter the design professions. For information on becoming a sponsor and gaining a unique opportunity to be involved, please contact our Foundation President or our Scholarship Chair.


2024 mid-career Fellowships Recipients

Erin Kasimow

2024 Mid-Career Fellowship Winner

Designer and Educator based in Los Angeles
Assistant professor at the USC School of Architecture

iris minna kim

2024 Mid-Career Fellowship Winner

Second-generation Korean American designer based in Los Angeles

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 FELLOWSHIP JURORS:

Fellowship Jury:
Jenny Jones
Dafna Kaplan
Rayne LaBorde Ruiz
Liz Mahlow
Allyne Winderman

Awards Committee Co-chairs:
Isa Mattia
Megan Horn
Natasha Harkison

Awards Committee members:  
Natasha Harkison
Julissa Lopez
Christina Monti


previous mid-career Fellowship Recipients

Ismaelly Peña

2023 Mid-Career Fellowship Winner

Architectural Designer, Researcher, Educator
Employed at GGA+
Educator at Woodbury University School of Architecture

Melissa Anderson

2022 Mid-Career Fellowship Winner
“The Use of 3D Printing in Housing and Micro-Housing”

Architect, Chet Architecture
Founder, Studio Serpentine
studio-serpentine.com

Anna-Neimark

2021 Mid-Career Fellowship Winner

“Rude Forms Among Us”

Founding Co-Principal of First Office
Design Faculty, Southern California Institute of Architecture

AM.jpg

ashley margo

2020 Mid-Career Fellowship
“Los Angeles by Color”

Multimedia Designer and Art Director
ashleymargo.com

bairbailliet.jpg

kristy balliet + Kelly bair

2019 Mid-Career Fellowship
Research on “The Unstable Image”

Architects
bairballiet.com

claire latane

2018 Mid-Career Fellowship
”Connecting High School Environments to Mental Health and Wellbeing”

Landscape Architect
www.clairelatane.com

audrey sato

2017 Mid-Career Fellowship
”LA Architects Podcast”

Architect

xx-la.com
audreysato.com

katherine harvey janica ley baker

2016 Mid-Career Fellowship
”1200 Play Yards: A Patchwork of Potential”

Architects